Your Thanksgiving menu deserves only the best! And what’s a roast turkey and mashed potatoes without a good amount of thick and rich brown gravy on the side? Aaah. Holiday feast wouldn’t be the same without this homemade gravy. Ever since I move here in the U.S. or even back when I was only visiting my family in the South on certain occasions, they would never ever have a roast turkey without a generous helping of this homemade gravy. It puzzled me a bit, but when I made my FIRST POUR onto my fluffy mashed potatoes and slices of turkey, I knew then that the homemade gravy actually seals the deal.
What is a gravy?
Gravy is a big thing here in the U.S. At its simplest definition, gravy is a sauce made of meat drippings or butter, stock, flour and seasonings. It’s either paired or smothered on meat (like this Smothered Chicken) OR on biscuits ( gravy added with sausage like on this Southern Biscuits and Gravy).
How to make brown gravy from scratch?
If you’re a gravy fanatic, it’s a must that you should be able to whip this extraordinaire effortlessly. Anyway, don’t worry, it isn’t that difficult. All you have to spare is just 15 minutes of your time. There are many ways to prepare a homemade gravy; you can make it with giblets, sausage or simply just a broth and flour. My favorite of them all is the old-fashioned gravy made from turkey pan drippings from freshly roasted turkey, stock and flour. It has a deep flavorful savory goodness that elevates every dish on the table. To make brown gravy from scratch you have to deglaze the pan drippings with the stock. Next is to pour the deglazed pan drippings in a liquid measuring cup and place in the fridge or freezer for a few hours (or for 20 minutes when pressed for time). This step makes the fat and the drippings to separate and the fat will begin to harden making it easier for us to skim off the fat for making the gravy. Once the fat has cooled down, you can start working on the roux in the stovetop. You start off with heating the fat over medium-high heat, whisking flour constantly thereafter and gradually adding more drippings along with stock and seasonings. As easy as that!
How to make homemade gravy without drippings?
But if you don’t have any drippings and just want to make it ahead before the Thanksgiving frenzy, you can somehow make it. You can simply replace the fat drippings with butter and sauteed onions to add a dimension in flavor. Then the rest of the steps are the same with the gravy with drippings.
Can you make gravy with flour and water?
Flour and water alone can’t make a gravy. You need to add some fat into the mixture to create a roux as the base for a good gravy. Fat can be in a form of meat drippings, butter or cooking oil. I wouldn’t suggest using plain water either when making a gravy. It doesn’t have any flavor at all! Meat or veggie stock definitely adds flavor in any gravy along with the herbs and spices.
Don’t hold back when pouring that homemade gravy all over your plate. Everyone will understand for sure. ;). Spoon it over on this Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes, Cornbread Dressing and, of course, this Thanksgiving showstopper Spiced Roast Turkey. Want to check out other scrumptious main dishes aside from turkey? Check out my recent round up of Best Thanksgiving Meat Dinner Recipes. Enjoy!
Tips and Notes:
Heat a saucepan or skillet with turkey fat or butter over a medium-high heat. Gently whisk in the flour to make a “roux.” Stir the roux for 2-3 minutes to remove any raw taste of the flour. Gradually add about a ¼ or more of drippings and continue whisking until mixture is thick and somewhat smooth. Then add the remaining drippings and stock, and adjust thickness to personal preference. Season with bouillon, salt and pepper. Remember gravy thickens as it cools down.
